Methods are known in the conventional art for aggregating multiple paths into one path when controlling or setting paths according to MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching), etc. A network system is disclosed (e.g. JP-A-2002-141932) for limiting to five megabytes the upper bandwidth of one path virtually formed from four logical paths 1-4 as path aggregate connecting points.
In this type of technology, the type of group that the paths are aggregated into may for example be set manually as determined by the network operator or may be regulated based on a predetermined fixed policy such as gathering all identical paths into a single group.